NEWS of the WEEK
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"The wheels of wealth will be slowed by all difficulties of transport, at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it runs."—John Beattie Crozier.
B.R.F. SUBMITS REPORT ON CO-ORDINATION OF TRANSPORT.
At the request cd the Transport Advisory Council, the British Road Federation has pre7ared and sent to the Council a report, comprising some 50 pages, on the co-ordination of transport. It has been signed not only on behalf of the Federation, but by representatives of Asscciated Road Operators, the Commercial Motor Users Association, the National Association of Furniture Warehousemen and Removers, the Naticnal Road Transport Employers Federation, and the Scottish Commercial Motor Users Association. It thus represents he opinions of every existing national organization of A and B licence holders and their affiliated organizations.
" Dangerous " Salesmanship: Representative Criticized.
Tactics adoptec. by a commercialmotor salesman in the sale of a lorry were the subject of criticism by Mr. Henry Backhouse, Jun., at Liverpool, last week, when he appeared for an applicant for a licence. He remarked that when the app icant decided to purchase a new vehicle, the salesman persuaded him to have a heavier machine than his old one, and told him that he could continue to run it on the same licence.
Such methods of salesmanship were highly dangerous, said Mr. Backhouse, and the applicant was prepared to give the name of the concern from which he purchased the lorry, and that of the salesman.
The application for the renewal of the licence was granted, Sir William Hart, North Western Deputy Licensing Authority, asking that the names of the company and salesman should be handed to him.
Three Parties to Potteries Deal.
Application has been made to the West Midland Licensing Authority by Cadman and Ridge, Ltd., Eclensor Garage, Longton, for permission to take over Proctor Transport Co., Ltd., and H. Potts, Ltd. Twelve vehicles totalling 45i tons unladen are involved.
Experienced Engineer Available.
An experienced engineer who has occupied the positions of inspection and service manager, operating manager and chief engineer with important manufacturing and transport concerns, and has been responsible for the maintenance of a large fleet of buses requires a suitable position. Letters, addressed " Engineer," care of the Editor, will be forwarded. • Steam Wagons Returning to Service.
The Coal Utilisation Council has received a number of letters from operators of steam wagons, expressing satisfaction at the concessions recently announced by the Ministry of Transport respecting the speed and pay-load of such vehicles. From the contents of these letters, it would appear that a number of steam wagons which has been laid up will shortly be back again in service. If this happens, the coal industry is likely to derive cumulative benefit. ESTATE TENDER NOT GOODS VEHICLE.
Increasing use of utility vans has brought about a speed-limit problem. In some districts the police maintain that such machines are goods vehicles and are, therefore, subject to a speed limit of 30 m.p.h. Barnet magistrates, however, think differently, and recently supported the view, expressed last November by Hendon bench, that an estate wagon is not limited in speed in derestricted areas.
Mr, J. M. Wallace, 60, Barrowgate Road, London, W.4 (a reader of The Commercial Motor), was summoned before Barnet Petty Sessional Court on a charge of having exceeded the speed limit of 30 m.p.h. for light goods vehicles, when driving a Commer estate tender. His speed was alleged to have been 60 m.p.h.
The police maintained that this was a vehicle adapted or constructed for the carriage of goods. The defence (conducted by the Automobile Association) was that a vehicle capable of adaptation or construction for the transport of goods was not, ipso facto, a vehicle adapted or constructed for that purpose. Previous rulings on these lines were prayed-in-aid.
The bench dismissed the summons.
International Safety Congress Next Month.
The first International Safety Congress is to be held in Amsterdam from April 26-28. A comprehensive programme embracing all aspects of accident-prevention activity has been prepared. Amongst those who will represent the National " Safety First •' Association are Mr. F. G. Bristow, chairman, national public safety committee. and Lt.-Col. J. A. A. Pickard, general secretary of the Association. Mr. S. R. Bennett will represent the Home Office and the Ministry of Transport may also be represented. Mr. Bristow will present a paper on "The Best Way of Imparting Road Sense."
HOURS CHARGES DISMISSED.
First decisions on a number of cases against T. Wall and Son, Ltd., and certain of its drivers, in connection with alleged hours and records offences, were given, last week, by Hove magistrates. A number of summonses was dismissed; one on account of the fact that the evidence did not disclose that the alleged offence had been committed.
Certain other charges were dismissed, because, although it was shown that a driver had worked for excessive periods, the facts did not prove that the company had permitted the offences.
Three summonses for " permitting" were adjourned sine die. On certain other summonses small fines of 5s. and 4s. were imposed.
New I.T.A. Officers in Cardiff.
At the annual general meeting of the Cardiff branch of the Industrial Transport Association, Mr. Walter Davies (Joseph Rank, Ltd.) was elected chairman for 1937-38. Mr. T. C. R. Jenks (Spillers, Ltd.), vice-chairman, and Mr. T. Phillips (Gueret, Llewellyn and Merrett, Ltd.), hon. secretary.
Mr. George Williams, chairman of the National Industrial Council for South Wales and Monmouth, at the annual dinner, predicted a busier period for transport.
A Dunlop Drivers' Record.
Five motor drivers employed by the Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd., have been awarded gold medals by the National • " Safety First" Association for completing 10 years' service without an accident. During this period one of the drivers, Mr. A. Atkins, who has spent the whole of his working life (except for the period of the war) with the Dunlop concern, has driven vehicles for more than 450,000 miles; last year he drove 51,000 miles.
In all, 96 drivers of the Dunlop company entered the freedom-from-accident competition in 1936 and, of these, 56 received awards for clean records.
Rail Chief Admits "Superior Service" by Road.
Whilst admitting that the road was superior to rail for long-distance work, Mr. W. M. Dingwall, development officer for the Scottish area of the L.N.E. Railway Co., speaking at Glasgow City Business Club, held that road transport should be used principally for collection and delivery work, and for short-distance haulage.
Traders should still have the right -to use road transport over longer distances, he said, if they thought that the facilities were better, but they thould pay more for the "superior service."
Coronation Souvenir Programme.
The official souvenir programme of the Coronation of Their Majesties King George VI and Queen Elizabeth may he ordered from any newsagent or bookseller at 1s. for the standard edition and 2s. ed. for the de luxe. The programme is issued by King George's Jubilee Trust.